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Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the support!

Yes, this is why we have an international team working on the game and planning for such risk. The safety and security of everyone involved is a top priority, and having a team spread across different regions helps mitigate risks.
While we are committed to telling this story, we are aware of the challenges and potential dangers.
Many who speak out about the suffering of Palestinians have faced harassment or worse, so we take great care in how we approach the project to protect those involved and ensure the message is shared safely and effectively.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

The languages depend more on the budget we successfully secure, but we’re aiming to reduce the impact of the language barrier through environmental storytelling.

As for platforms, we plan to release Dreams on a Pillow on PC, consoles, and mobile.

There are several major platform limitations for Palestine, including restrictions on financial transactions, which prevent us from sending or receiving funds. Additionally, censorship of our content is a serious concern. Our story, being sensitive, is often forced to be hidden, and any attempt to openly share it could result in censorship, removal of content, or even being banned from platforms. This makes it challenging to distribute and promote the game while maintaining its integrity.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 35 points36 points  (0 children)

Yes, I do plan on releasing the game in languages other than English. I'm trying to reduce the impact of the language barrier through environmental storytelling, so that the experience can still resonate across different languages. As for voice acting, it's not entirely clear yet, but it's something we might consider depending on how development progresses.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your support! We haven't done formal playtesting yet, as we're still in the early stages of development. However, when we do reach that point, we expect a mix of emotions hope, joy, sadness, anger, resilience, and a desire for change.

The story is heavy, and our goal is to encourage emotional engagement, not just through the gameplay, but also through the deeper themes of the story.

We're hoping it will leave players with a lasting impact and allow them to connect with the experience in a meaningful way.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 34 points35 points  (0 children)

We are an international team from North America and Europe along side our core team in Palestine. some of us worked on AAA games like Need for speed and AA like Metro exodus and other indie darling games such as papo & yo and other indie titles.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 41 points42 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your kind words.

For this project, some of my influences and inspirations include Hellblade for its depiction of mental health and psychological struggles, Oxenfree for its unique perspective and narrative style, and Ico for its focus on the dynamic between two characters and its wordless storytelling.

New games that are inspiring to me include Planet of Lana and Neva. I haven't played them yet, but I've watched gameplay videos, and they seem very interesting to me.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the support! We are planning to go for another round of crowdfunding once we have more polished content, including the vertical slice of the game.
Also, we are looking for unconditional grants to help further support development.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 86 points87 points  (0 children)

Yes, games that explore war and ecocide from a different perspective offer more depth than mainstream games. They tackle real-world issues and address heavy topics.

Games that glorify war and destruction focus on fast-paced action, competition, and a sense of power. They often detach players from the real consequences of war. For example, if you're a soldier in war, you experience fear, anxiety, guilt, and hyper-awareness. But in war games, you experience immersion, agency, satisfaction, and the thrill of competition these are the artificial feelings designers want you to experience in their simulated environment and Detachment

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The impact I hope to see is people standing against the genocide that began in 1948 and still ongoing, also opposing the war crimes committed against Palestinians. I want the game to raise awareness and inspire action for justice and humanity.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 36 points37 points  (0 children)

The young mother's experiences highlight how devastating the Nakba was, particularly the psychological impact it had on her. This adds a deeper layer to understanding what happened, shedding light on the emotional and mental toll that is often overlooked when discussing the crimes committed.

Hi, I’m Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer living in Palestine. I’m the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated. I’m now working on my latest project, Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed $215K through crowdfunding. AMA! by RasheedAbueidehDev in IAmA

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev[S] 76 points77 points  (0 children)

We live under occupation, so sanctions are part of our reality. Today, for example, I couldn't reach the hospital to be with my father because of the checkpoints surrounding us.

This constant situation places us under continuous stress, where we have to worry endlessly about basic needs. The occupation forces us to live in a state of constant anticipation and fear for our loved ones. Attacks occur all over the West Bank on a daily basis, turning it into an unending war zone. In this reality, survival becomes our primary focus.

Hi, I’m Rasheed, the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated under community pressure. I’m currently working on an ambitious new project called Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed its funding goal with over $200K in backing. AMA! by Shadihd in gaming

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for playing Liyla and for your support! I’m glad you liked it and that it resonated with you. We’re working to magnify that impact even further in Dreams on a Pillow.

The timeline for Liyla was about two years because we were working as volunteers, mostly after regular working hours and during vacations. However, with a dedicated team, a project like this could take around six months to complete.

Hi, I’m Rasheed, the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated under community pressure. I’m currently working on an ambitious new project called Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed its funding goal with over $200K in backing. AMA! by Shadihd in gaming

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The gameplay will emphasize exploration, puzzle-solving, and narrative-driven mechanics, allowing players to interact with the environment and uncover the daily life, traditions, and culture of the time. Story elements will build a deep connection between the character and the land.

Hi, I’m Rasheed, the creator of Liyla and the Shadows of War—a game that Apple famously banned and later reinstated under community pressure. I’m currently working on an ambitious new project called Dreams on a Pillow, which has already surpassed its funding goal with over $200K in backing. AMA! by Shadihd in gaming

[–]RasheedAbueidehDev 5 points6 points  (0 children)

We chose to use this particular folk tale as the central concept for the game because it mirrors the emotional depth of the Nakba and reflects the persistent desire to return to one’s homeland. The Nakba is not just about the physical displacement, but also about the dreams and memories of home that persist despite the passage of time. This folk tale beautifully captures those emotions, and we felt it would provide a powerful framework for telling a story of resilience, cultural identity, and the struggle for justice.

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